Pump priming control



y 2, 1967 R. N. ROBERTS ET AL 3,316,850

PUMP PRIMING CONTROL Filed Aug. 27, 1965 INVENTORS. RnmL N. Romms, WALDEMAR M. Lualmniicm a f i ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofi" 3,316,850 PUMP PRIMING CONTROL Royal N. Roberts and Valdemar M. Lubieniecki, both of Baldwinsville, N. assignors to Morris Machine Works, Baldwinsville, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 483,219 4 Claims. (Cl. 103-113) This invention relates to pump assemblies, and more particularly to a pump assembly in which the priming operation is manually controlled.

Other pump assemblies which incorporate in their design a manually controlled priming operation are known. However, in these designs only the initiation of the priming operation is controlled by manual means and the cessation of the priming operation is activated by some mechanical response to fluid pressure in the main pump chamber. This of course, requires the use of complicated valve mechanisms and linkage, of which all tend to wear out in use. Also it is to be noted that because of these added parts, the weight of the pump assembly is increased. Further, these designs usually incorporate a complicated clutch mechanism that is manually controlled to initiate the priming operation.

An important object of this invention is to provide a pump assembly which includes a priming pump of the rotary, positive displacement type, and which is manually controlled entirely, that is, both in initiation and cessation of the priming operation.

Another object is to provide a pump assembly of the type mentioned above in which the manual priming control comprises a few parts. Consequently, it is of light Weight.

Another object is to provide a pump assembly as described that is characterized by simplicity of operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a pump assembly as described in which the priming operation is positively activated.

A still further object is to provide a pump assembly as described that is adapted for ease in service.

Other advantages and objects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, when read with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of a this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the manual priming control.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of the priming control mechanism in operating position.

FIG. 1 illustrates a substantially conventional arrangepump assembly embodying ment of a centrifugal main pump 1 operatively connected by main shaft 8 to any engine E. Any suitable adapter flange 11 and screws may also occur in the combination. A power take-off wheel 7 is disposed on shaft 8 such as by a hub and setscrew, and is adapted to rotate with said shaft.

A rotary positive displacement vacuum priming pump 2 is mounted on main pump 1, and is operatively connected thereto, among other facilities, by a discharge tube 3. A priming pump drive wheel 6 is disposed on the shaft of pump 2 such as by a hub and setscrew.

The drive train for the vacuum priming pump 2 is composed of take-off wheel 7, idler wheel 9, and driving wheel 6, all of which are in alignment. The takeoff wheel 7 is disposed on shaft 8, which in this embodiment is the engine shaft and the main pump 1 shaft. Idler wheel 9 is so disposed as to be adapted to frictionally engage both the take-off wheel 7 and the driving wheel 6. Driving wheel 6 is secured to the shaft of the vacuum priming pump.

'the shaft 8 was, in the above embodiment,

3,316,850 Patented May 2, 1967 FIG. 2 shows the priming mechanism out of operating position, the idler wheel 9 being out of frictional engagement with both take-off wheel 7 and driving wheel 6. Yoke 13 holds the idler wheel 9 by means of a pin and is integral with clutch shaft 14. Clutch shaft 14 is supported by journaled bearing 15 which is integral with support arm 10 which is folded to the housing of the main pump 1. On the distant end of clutch shaft 14 from the idler wheel 9 a push button 17 and the journaled bearing 15 provide bearing faces for the spring 16 which is disposed about the clutch shaft 14 and biased to deactivate the priming control means, the clutch mechanism.

FIG. 3 shows the clutch mechanism in operating position, that is, the idler wheel 9 in frictional engagement with take-off wheel 7 and driving wheel 6. The spring 16 is now in a compressed condition.

To establish a prime in the main pump 1 an operator operates push button 17 causing idler wheel 9 to engage both take-off wheel 17 and driving wheel 6. Rotary motion present in take-off wheel 7 is thus transmitted through idler wheel 9 to driving wheel 6 to operate the priming pump. When the prime is accomplished, there is a distinctive noise level increase from the vacuum priming pump 2 which serves as a clear indication that the prime has been effected. Conversely, if the main pump 1 should lose its prime during operation, there will be a similar distinctive increase in noise level therefrom, which will indicate to the operator that it is necessary to execute the priming operation again.

There are numerous modifications of the above design that would include the invention therein. For example, both the shaft of the main pump 1 and the shaft from the engine E, but the shaft 8 could be a shaft from a transmission or clutch device instead of the engine E. While in the above embodiment take-off wheel 7 is disposed on shaft 8 between the engine E and the main pump 1, certainly the engine could be placed on the right side of the main pump 1, and the shaft 8 extended through the main pump 1 housing and take-off wheel 7 secured to the shaft 8 (as shown on the left side of main pump 1 in FIG. 1). Although it has been found to be advantageous to secure take-off wheel 7 upon the shaft of the main pump 1, it is possible that for some uses the take-off wheel 7 may be geared by some other power transmission means, and be put into driving relationship with the shaft of the main pump 1, similarly marked, hold for driving wheel 6. Of course, the check valve 4 may be replaced by other suitable means to prevent the ingress of liquid into the priming vacuum pump.

The above pump assembly, because of its light weight and is simplicity of operation, and ease in disassembly and service, would find particular utility as a portable assembly or a semi-portable assembly.

A preferred embodiment of the invention having been described and shown, it is to be understood that changes may be made, which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A pump assembly in which the priming operation is manually controlled, said assembly including a main pump of the centrifugal type, a priming vacuum pump that is of the rotary, positive displacement type, a discharge line communicating between the chamber of said main pump and the chamber of the said priming vacuum pump, means to prevent ingress of fluid into the priming vacuum pump, a take-off wheel in driving relationship with the shaft of said main pump, a driving wheel in driving relationship with the shaft on said priming vacuum pump, and an idler Wheel disposed such that it will frictionally engage the said take-01f wheel and said driving wheel when activated manually.

2. A pump assembly in which the priming operation an idler wheel disposed so that it will frictionally engage both the said take-off wheel and driving wheel when activated manually, said idler wheel attached to a spring loaded rod, and said spring biased to maintain the said idler wheel out of operating position.

3. A pump assembly in which the priming operation is manually controlled, said assembly including a main pump of the centrifugal type, a priming vacuum pump that is of the rotary, ositive displacement type, said priming vacuum pump detachably secured on the main pump housing, a discharge line communicating between the chamber of the said main pump and the chamber of the said priming vacuum pump, a check valve placed into said priming vacuum pump, a take-off Wheel in driving relationship with the shaft of said main pump, a driving wheel secured on the shaft of said priming vacuum pump, an idler wheel disposed so that it will frictionally engage both the said take-off wheel and driving wheel when activated manually, said idler wheel'attached to a spring loaded rod, and said spring biased to maintain the said idler Wheel out of operating position and said spring loaded rod supported by means detachably secured to the housing of said main pump.

4.. A pump assembly according to claim 3 and said spring biased to maintain the idler Wheel out of frictional engagement with both the said driving wheel and said take-off wheel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,390,204 12/1945 Curtis 103-11 2,857,851 10/1958 Fleharty 103--113 FOREIGN PATENTS 804,265 11/ 1958 Great Britain.

DONLEY J. STOCKING, Primary Examiner. H. F. RADUAZO, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PUMP ASSEMBLY IN WHICH THE PRIMING OPERATION IS MANUALLY CONTROLLED, SAID ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A MAIN PUMP OF THE CENTRIFUGAL TYPE, A PRIMING VACUUM PUMP THAT IS OF THE ROTARY, POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT TYPE, A DISCHARGE LINE COMMUNICATING BETWEEN THE CHAMBER OF SAID MAIN PUMP AND THE CHAMBER OF THE SAID PRIMING VACUUM PUMP, MEANS TO PREVENT INGRESS OF FLUID INTO THE PRIMING VACUUM PUMP, A TAKE-OFF WHEEL IN DRIVING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SHAFT OF SAID MAIN PUMP, A DRIVING WHEEL IN DRIVING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SHAFT ON SAID PRIMING VACUUM PUMP, AND AN IDLER WHEEL DISPOSED SUCH THAT IT WILL FRICTIONALLY ENGAGE THE SAID TAKE-OFF WHEEL AND SAID DRIVING WHEEL WHEN ACTIVATED MANUALLY. 